The Joy of Living

I’ve noticed something over the past couple weeks, a subtle change that has taken over. I’ve been smiling more. Not a forced smile, but a genuine, loving smile. I’m happier. More satisfied with where I am. Comfortable. And it has been awesome.

I have recently returned from Montana with the AmeriCorps St Louis Emergency Response Team (ERT) with a handful of other Second Year Members. We departed a week earlier than the remainder of the Corps, but we got the opportunity to grow close together through the long drive back and two weeks working on the Ozark Trail. I look back and I can see the difficult times, the pain, and the frustrations of the past couple months, years, but yet I still smile.

Through all the chaos, I have found the strength to smile. And in doing so, I am reminded of the joy of living.

Call it love. God’s grace. Innocence. Forgiveness. Every morning I wake up, I am reminded that this life is a gift.

My life is not my own. It belongs to God. He purchased me with the blood of forgiveness. Passion. And through this knowledge, I have found the joy of living.

It’s no secrete.

Every time I wake, I am given the opportunity to live. And I know that any moment that could be taken away from us. So I have decided to live and love with all my heart in every moment. Oh, I still get frustrated with people, situations, and the chaos of life, but my heart is grounded in the joy of living, the ultimate gift from God.

Every moment in this life we have the opportunity to choose how we are going to live. Are we going to allow each breath to be consumed by anger, rage, and indifference or are we going to breath out love, compassion, and joy to those around us?